1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to slabs that can be Combined to create conveyor belts, that are typically used in the manufacturing industry to move products from location to location.
2. Description of Related Art
Conveyor belts are typically constructed from a plurality of pieces or slabs that are joined together along adjacent sides. To attach the slabs, each piece usually has a plurality of lugs on each side that align, so that a pin can be inserted through the lugs to attach the slabs together. Once such type of conveyor belt is shown and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,842 issued to Lapeyre et al. To repair the Lapeyre conveyor, the pins must be removed. Pin removal is usually time consuming and difficult, typically requiring the partial destruction of the head of the pin or the lugs.
New Zealand Patent No. 599,590 issued to Napier Tool & Die Co. Ltd., discloses a slab used to construct conveyor belts, that has a molded pintle on one side and a plurality of hooks on the other side of the slab. The molded pintle is inserted into the hooks of an adjacent slab, thereby adjoining the two slabs together. This process is repeated until the desired length of conveyor is created. The slots within the hooks are slightly smaller than the diameter of the pintle, so that the adjacent slab "snaps" onto the adjoining slab. The insertion and removal of each individual slab can be done manually without the need for any tools, making assembly and repair of the belt much easier and quicker than prior conveyors. The ability to insert each slab also allows the end user to assemble a belt of varying lengths, providing greater flexibility in the layout of the conveyor system.
The Napier belt is driven by sprockets that move the slabs in a loop. As the slabs encircle the sprockets, the hooks will move relative to the pintle which may cause excessive wear on the pintle. It would therefore be desirable to incorporate a pintle in a Napier type belt that is made from a material harder than the slab.